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Origin and history

Saint-Étienne Cathedral of Saint-Brieuc, located in the Côtes-d'Armor in Brittany, is a Gothic building whose construction spanned from the 13th to the 18th century. It is one of the nine historic cathedrals of Brittany and the seat of the diocese of Saint-Brieuc and Tréguier since 1852. Ranked a historic monument in 1906, it is part of the Tro Breiz, a traditional Breton pilgrimage. Its architecture is marked by a peculiarity: built on a swamp, its entrance includes descending steps, unlike classical cathedrals.

The cathedral preserves the relics of Saint Brieuc, founder of the city in the sixth century, and its history is rhythmic by major construction and restoration phases. The north tower, erected in 1220, served as an episcopal dungeon, while the south tower (the so-called Marie tower) was financed by Duke John V of Brittany between 1431 and 1436. In the 17th century crowlets were added to support the balustrade, and the rosace of the nave was completed in 1728. During the Revolution (1789-1794), the building served as a warehouse.

The 19th century marked a period of significant renovations: installation of an organ by Aristide Cavaillé-Coll (1847-1849), addition of a wooden stud and a pyramidion by architect Ruprich Robert (1853), and construction of the central porch (1889). Lightning damaged the arrow and organ in 1852. In the 21st century, works of masonry (2012-2013) and restoration of the interior decorations (ocreous boudigeons, Romanesque capitals) were carried out, revealing traces of ancient polychromy in the chapel of the axis.

The building houses remarkable furniture, including a 3.84 metre chandelier in the transept cross and a restored organ. Its stained glass windows, partially attributed to Hubert de Sainte-Marie, and its bells (including a 3.4-ton bumblebee melted in 1952) bear witness to its rich heritage. The cathedral, built on wooden pillars to stabilize the swamp, offers an optical illusion: its nave, higher than it seems, is discovered after two flights of descending steps.

The pentures of the Martray Gate (1860), made by ironmaker Pierre Boulanger, and the recent restorations (2010-2017) of neo-Gothic and novel decorations illustrate the desire to preserve his artistic heritage. The cathedral remains a religious and cultural symbol, integrated with Breton heritage routes such as the Tro Breiz and classified as a French historical monument since 1906.

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